November 2024. Manchester.
Three hours till kick-off on Tuesday night, what on earth do you do in a rainy Manchester to kill the time ?
Good idea.
I’d actually fancied visiting Mulligans, the “Irish pub” in the Matthew Curtis book, but Matt reckoned it would be packed with Feyenoord fans happy paying £8 for Guinness, and I found I couldn’t walk past the City Arms any longer.
Is it really two years since my last visit ?
Apparently so. Matt bagged the Stammtisch, believing that was German for Matt’s place. And perhaps it is.
Anyhow, what’s a local ? Matt used to work 100 yards from here, now it’s 200, and he knows what he wants without looking at the beer board.
“Pint of Plum, Dad”.
I go with the Fairytale of Brew York,
an unexpected joy these last couple of years, and again it’s a cool, chewy NBSS 4 here.
But I still look at Matt’s pint, jealously. It’s that glass.
I’m surprised to get the last seat, and to see so many young folk enjoying the charms of what can look like an Old Boy’s stronghold mid-afternoon.
Yes, that would be a good idea before we leave.
retiredmartin 
I was there myself last week, also drinking Plum Porter (not my favourite beer tbh, but I needed a Winter Warmer Wander sticker for it, and it was in top condition). I’ve been going there for about twenty-five years, most weeks at one time, and it’s still my go to pub in that part of town. It hasn’t really changed since I first went, and hopefully never will.
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Yes, Matthew, very consistent over many years. Plum Porter is pretty much the house beer there now.
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Happy memories of the late 80s, when along with the Tetley’s, they’d have Jennings bitter and Pendle Black Cat and Witches’ Brew.
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Was it a Tetley Heritage pub, or what they were called. Certainly looks the part.
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I think so; like a little sister to the Briton’s Protection, which had a similar beer range. I was very fond of Jennings bitter back then, as a student discovering real ale.
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Me too.
Actually, Festival Ale House is the brand I remember in the 90s, though as always I refer to Stafford Paul.
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What do you think of the fuss about the plans to tighten beer range at the Briton ?
I notice it dropped out of the GBG this year, which seems a bit unfortunate. Paul and I had excellent cask there earlier this year.
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Yes, Festival Ale House was an Allied Breweries brand up north.
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“earlier this year” was February.
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Some remarkably good beers there…
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Yes there are, all good breweries and no novelties. It’s comparable with the Post Office pub in Brum, in that respect.
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A good comparison!
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